Part 22 (1/2)
”No point in all of us getting soaked,” Scotty said ”Have you had any experience in this kind of spying, Tony?”
The archaeologist had not He grinned ”Until I came to Spindrift, I led a rather quiet, academic sort of life Except for the war, of course”
”Then Scotty or I had better go,” Rick said ”Or both of us”
Scotty shook his head ”No need for both It's only a reconnaissance, anyway Toss you for it”
Rick produced a coin ”All right Call it” He flipped it as Scotty claimed heads It was a tail
”Best two out of three?” Scotty invited
Rick grinned ”And after that, best three out of five?”
Scotty growled, ”All right I'll go” He got ready by taking off shoes and socks He could change his shi+rt and shorts when he returned He slipped through the back door and was gone
Rick turned on the radio, tried for a weather report, and settled for a Miaood records The static was bad, but the station ca worth while
Scotty was back before a half dozen records had been played He sat down, ignoring the water that dripped from him ”Listen, our friends just rounded the northern tip of the island in the boat and they're heading south just inside the eastern reef What do you make of that?”
Rick pictured the movements of the enemy boat fro out to sea, otherwise they'd be outside the reef
And they're not interested in anything on the island or they'd have walked I'd say they're planning to do so on the eastern side of the island”
”In this kind of weather?” Tony asked incredulously
”Sure It's stormy on top, but once you're below the wave motion it's quiet as ever They could dive”
Scotty stood up ”If they can, so can we”
There was no denial to that They made a trip to the _Water Witch_ and collected their equipment, then planned what they would do
”We'll all use lungs,” Tony said ”We have three regulators and there are plenty of full tanks, enough for two dives each However, we have only two pairs of glasses for the dark-light camera I'll yield to Scotty as the lasses, Rick I'll stay on top, or near the top, with a single float, and a gun
If I use the lung I can stay subht waves”
”Lash yourself to the float,” Scotty cautioned
”And we'll use a buddy line,” Rick added ”The saun, and I'll take the ca on my air tank,” Tony said ”You should be able to hear that for quite a distance”
There was nothing else to be planned in advance They picked up their equip the island through the paled onto the eastern shore, Scotty called, ”Look--about five hundred yards north”
The lights of the frogh the rain, were tossing violently just inside the eastern reef Apparently the boat was anchored The rain was too thick for them to see any movement aboard, or to see details of the boat itself
”Move carefully,” Rick cautioned He had to raise his voice to be heard above the storm ”We haven't explored this shore It may be full of coral heads”
”I doubt it,” Scotty returned ”It would be too dangerous for the boat in this kind of weather, even if they knew a channel”